[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11386]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1230
               MEDICARE'S SUCCESSFUL ANTI-POVERTY PROGRAM

  (Ms. HANABUSA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, July is a month to celebrate birthdays, 
the independence of this Nation, and the 46th birthday of Medicare. 
Medicare is the best health care program ever and the most successful 
anti-poverty program.
  So the question we should all be asking ourselves is, why then do the 
Republicans want to do away with Medicare as we know it? And the answer 
probably is because we have forgotten what Medicare was meant to do.
  Prior to 1965, 44 percent of our seniors had no health care. Now 40 
million are enrolled. Before 1965, 40 percent of those 65 and older 
were at or below the poverty level. Now only 10 percent fall in that 
category. Life expectancy was 70.2 years. Now it is 78.2 years of age. 
So we should ask ourselves: Why do we want to touch Medicare as we know 
it? Medicare has done what we needed it to do.
  Happy birthday, Medicare.

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